Champion 7DC accident near Copper Center, Alaska, September 1, 2026
On September 1, 2026 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Champion 7DC, registered N4542E, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Copper Center, Alaska (Highway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2026 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Copper Center, Alaska · Highway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7DC · all 7DCs on the register
- Registration
- N4542E · registry record · serial 7DC-144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,790.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2026; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Palmer AK at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PAVD, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PAVD 012156Z 09018G26KT 10SM CLR 19/01 A2971 RMK AO2 PK WND 09028/2144 SLP058 T01890006 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4542E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC26LA095.